Convertible furniture



`lune 26, 1956 J. R. THOMAS CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Filed NOV. 2l, 1952 5 Sheets-She@l l 95E/DH THU/VAS m M Arr'r June 26, 1956 .1. R. THOMAS 2,751,607

CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Filed Nov. 21. 1952 s sheets-sheet 2 U4 /06 l0 3 ,0 5 JNVENTOR:

JO EPH F?. THOMAS BY June 26, 1956 J. R. THOMAS 2,751,507

CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Filed Nov. 21, 1952 5 sheets-sheet 5 1N V EN TOR.' JOSEPH R. THQ/14,4 s

Arr'y United States Pater CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Joseph R. Thomas, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 21, 1952, Serial No. 321,880

7 Claims. (Cl. 5-149) This invention relates in general to convertible furniture and is more particularly described as an improvement in cabinet beds. In one of its forms, the folding mechanism of a cabinet bed is entirely enclosed in a cabinet which may be designed to resemble a chest of drawers, a sideboard or an enclosed stand. In its closed condition, this article of furniture may be placed in any room in a house, a kitchen, dining room, living room, bedroom, and even in a hallway or any suci'ent space. It is not objectionably tall and can be used as a stand for receiving dishes, display articles, radio and television cabinets, and many other articles of household use. When the folding bed structure is extended from the cabinet, a front door is opened and the folding structure is pulled outwardly therefrom with its folding sections in bed forming position.

A folding structure of this kind requires a certain base area and a certain height to compactly enclose the folding construction, and in some types of folding constructions, there is a space near the top of the cabinet above the base which is not utilized for the folding mechanisrn. Usually this space is at the back of the cabinet where it is inaccessible for ordinary use. If the top of the cabinet is hinged, the stability and usefulness of the cabinet as such an article of furniture is much lessened. The present invention therefore provides a folding cabinet bed of a type having a space at the upper rear portion of the cabinet which is made available for use in connection with the folding and unfolding movement of the bed structure.

An important object of the invention is therefore in the provision of a folding cabinet bed having an available storage space at the back of the cabinet which isV made accessible by the folding and unfolding of the metal bed structure.

J'A'further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle at the back of the cabinet which is opened forwardly when the folding bed structure is extendedrin` front of the cabinet.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle at the back of a cabinet bed of which one wail or the cabinet is moved forwardly when the bed sections are unfolded in front of the cabinet and is moved in the other direction when the bed sections are returned or folded into the cabinet.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specicaton and will be apparent from the .accompanying drawings in which:

-Fig. l is a sectional View of a cabinet and a folding bed structure forming convertible furniture in accordance with this invention having a receptacle with a hinged wail movable by the folding bed structure as it is moved into and out of the cabinet;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l in which a receptacle is movably mounted at the back of a cabinet and is correspondingly moved by the folding and unfolding movement of the folding bed structure;

Fig. 4 is a partial plan View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing a two door cabinet of the type with which this folding bed structure is com# bined; and

Fig. 6 is a view partly in section of a structure in accordance with that shown in Fig. l in the open or extended position of the bed showing the front wall of the receptacle within the cabinet in its forwardly inclined position.

in a folding bed of three main sections having coordinating sections between them, it is possible to collapse or fold the sections within a seat frame, in which case two of the main sections are substantially in alignment with each other in seat position and another main section is folded substantially at right angles to one of the sections and is disposed behind and below the seat in its folded condition.

In the present invention, the advantage of this folding structure is obtained for a cabinet bed by disposing one of the main sections at the bottom of the cabinet and two of the main sections in a substantially upright position above the other section. In this folded condition, the sections may be said to be in a substantially L-shaped arrangement when they are folded occupying a minimum of lioor area and also being compactly related in an upright position so that they do not require an enclosing receptacle which is too high and thereby objectionable in appearance and as an article of furniture. This arrangement of the folded parts leaves a space at the top and rear of the cabinet behind the folded sections which is not ordinarily available for use as it is behind the folding sections and near the top of the cabinet at the rear thereof.

The present invention is designed and intended to provide a folding bed structure which assumes an L-shape position in a cabinet leaving a space at the rear and top thereof such that pillows, bed clothes and other articles may be convenientiy stored and disposed in this space by providing a receptacle usually open at the top and it may be fixed, pivotally mounted, or have a hinged wall which swings outwardly with the folding bed as it is extended so that a person may reach inwardly'over the top of the bed when in extended position and may freely insert yor remove bed clothes or other articles therein or therefrom.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a cabinet l@ as shown in Fig. 5 has a fixed top l2 with 4two doors 14 opening at the front thereof. If"d`esir"ed, the top may be hinged at the rear of the cabinet, but 'usually it is fixed in position so that the top may be used continuously whether the bed structure is extended or folded therein. The folding bed sections are connected so that they will fold into and may be extended from the interior of the cabinet in a predetermined manner without particular attention of an operator in folding or'unfo'lding the parts.

T o mount the folding bed within the cabinet, there are a pair of side plates 16 each adapted to be secured through openings 1S to the coi-responding inner side of the cabinet by screws or other fastening means. Each side plate v16 has a main portion disposed at a downwardiy extending angle in the cabinet with an anguiarly related portion 2li extending downwardly at the front thereof. To each side plate are pivoted mounting levers 22 and 24 and these constitute the support for the folding bed structure.

The folding bed structure comprises a rear section 26, an intermediate section 28 and an outer section 30. The rear section and the intermediate section are connected by a lever 32 and a link 34, each pivotally connected at one end to one of the two sections and the intermediate and outer sections are connected at each side by a downwardly extending plate 36 attached to the outer section and a pivot 38 at the adjacent end of the intermediate section connected to the plate 36.

The intermediate section has a supporting leg 40 at each side connected by a cross rail 42 and the outer section has a supporting leg 44 at each side connected by a cross rail 46.

Extending between the mounting lever 32, the plate 36 and the outer legs 44 at each side is a coordinating linkage comprising a lever 48 pivoted at one end to the connecting lever 32 between the rear and intermediate sections by a pivot 50 and connected at its other end by a pivot 52 to the plate 32. Adjacent this said other end, a link 54 is connected to the lever 48 by a pivot 56 and the other end of the link is connected by a pivot 58 with the outer leg 44. The lever 32 is preferably in the form of a bell crank and the pivot 50 is connected thereto adjacent the angular bend of the lever. Each of the legs is connected by a short link 60 pivoted at one end to the lever 48 and pivoted at the other end to the leg 40.

The rear section 26 has a fixed mounting in the form of a plate 66 at each side thereof to which the end of the lever 22 is connected by a pivot 68 and the end of the lever 24 is connected in spaced relation by a pivot 70. The other end of the lever 22 is connected to the mounting plate 16 by a pivot 72 and the intermediate portion of the lever 24 is pivoted to the mounting plate 16 in spaced relation to the connection of the lever 22 by a pivot 74. There is a short extension of the lever 24 beyond the pivot 74 to engage one end of a link 76 by means of a pivot 78. A stabilizing lever 80 is connected to the lower extension 20 of the mounting plate by a pivot 82 and the other end of the link 76 isconnected to the stabilizing lever by a pivot 84. At the outer end of the stabilizing lever is a contacting member 86 usually carrying a small rubber button 88 at the under side thereof adapted to engage the oor or any other surface upon which the cabinet rests. At the other end of this lever 80 is a spring 90 attached at one end to the lever and at the other end to a xed bracket at the bottom of the cabinet.

The spring 90 tends to pull the stabilizing lever downward from Vits raised position as shown in Fig. 1 to its applied position as shown in Fig. 6 where it is positively operated and held by the link 76 until the intermediate and outer bed sections are moved inwardly to such an extent that there is no longer any danger of overturning the cabinet. At this time the stabilizing lever is turned upwardly about its pivot 82 and the contact button may be engaged by one of the doors 14 in its closed position.

At the rear of the cabinet and preferably extending inwardly from the rear wall thereof is a horizontal partition 92 which forms the bottom of a storage receptacle within the cabinet having a front panel 94 pivoted thereto by a hinge 96, connecting the front edge of the bottom 92 and the lower edge of the panel. Connected to the forward side of the front panel 94 is a bracket 9S to which one end of a link 100 is connected by a pivot 102. The other end of this link is connected by a pivot 104 with the adjacent mounting lever 22 near its pivot 72 with the side plate 16.

With this construction, the receptacle in the cabinet is relatively opened and closed by the extension and folding of the bed' sections. When the-bed sections are collapsed within the cabinet as shown in Fig. 1, the lever 22 is folded upwardly and rearwardly within the cabinet and the link 100 is correspondingly moved to swing the front panel 94 into a more upright and closed position. When the bed sections are unfolded and extended in front of the cabinet; the lever 22 swings downwardly carrying with it the link 100 which swings the front panel 94 downwardly adjacent the inner endV of the rear bed section.

Thisrelative movement of the bed sections causes the upper portion of the rear receptacle in the cabinet to be swung open making the receptacle more accessible from the front of the cabinet without raising the top so that pillows, other bed clothes and other articles may be more easily accessible when the bed sections are unfolded and may be more freely removed and inserted within the receptacle with the bed sections in this position. When the bed sections are folded within the cabinet, the receptacle is partially collapsed by the operation of the front panel and bed clothes and pillows may bulge upwardly through the open top of the receptacle.

A somewhat similar receptacle construction is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in which a complete receptacle 106 preferably with a slightly aring top is mounted to swing bodily in the cabinet by means of a horizontal pivot 108 inserted through the receptacle near the bottom and near the rear thereof. The front wall of this receptacle has a bracket 110 to which a link 112 is connected by a pivot 113 and the other end of the link is connected to the lever 22 by a pivot 114 near the pivot 72 of the lever.

With this construction, the operation is similar to that already described and the receptacle 116 is tipped forwardly upon its hinge so that the flaring top thereof is more accessible from the front of the cabinet when the folding bed is extended in front of the cabinet and the receptacle is returned to a more upright position when the folding bed is returned within the cabinet.

At the top and rear of a cabinet having this type of folding bed construction, there is a space for a ixed receptacle having a bottom 92 and a fixed front board (like 94) which preferably inclines outwardly at the top. This receptacle is also freely accessible under the xed top 12 of the cabinet when the folding bed is swung outwardly from the cabinet.

With this folding bed construction having the coordinating linkage as above described, the outer section 30 is grasped near-the upper end or a cross rail 46 thereof and pulled outwardly, the folding sections being mounted for swinging movement upon the levers 22 and 24 so that as they swing outwardy, they will clear the fixed top of the cabinet and will swing outwardly and upwardly and then downwardly contacting first the legs 40 and then the legs 44 as the bed sections move into alignment, in a well known manner. In folding the bed within the cabinet,` a reverse action takes place, an operator lifts upwardly at the outer end of the section 30 which breaks an over the center locking connection of the alignment of the centers and the coordinating parts 48 and 54 so that the outer section swings upwardly and is pushed inwardly upon the legs 40 until the outer section andthe intermediate section 28 are substantially at right angles, whereupon these two sections swing inwardly against the rear section 26 which has been folded upwardly by the swinging of its levers 22 and 24 and the entire folding bed in a somewhat double L arrangement is swung inwardly within the cabinet, at the same time raising the stabilizing lever 80 as previously set forth.

While preferred forms of this construction have been described in some detail, it is apparent that the receptacle structure may be connected within a cabinet and made accessible by the operation of a folding bed construction of somewhat different folding connections without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

l. The combination with a cabinet structure having a fixed top and a front opening, of a foldable bed structure composed of connected sections, the rearmost end section having levers pivoted thereto and to the insides of the cabinet for mounting it to swing from a folded position within the cabinet to a position with the sections in horizontal alignment extending from the cabinet, the sections when folded within the cabinet occupying a substantially L-shaped position with a space at the rear and upper Y portion of the cabinet, means forming a receptacle open at s the folding bed structure and to the front wall of the receptacle for tilting it forwardly where the open top is more accessible from the front of the cabinet structure below the fixed top when the bed structure is extended to open position.

2. The combination with a cabinet having a front opening, of a folding bed structure to fold compactly therein into a substantially double-L shaped position with the vertical L portions substantially upright near the front of the cabinet and the other L portions at the bottom of the cabinet, said structure comprising a plurality of sections pivoted directly together and by a double link connection between two of the sections, coordinating link means connecting the sections at each side thereof to guide the folding of the sections from a position in alignment in front of the cabinet to a double L position within the cabinet, means comprising a pair of levers, connected to the rearmost section for mounting the sections to swing within the cabinet below the fixed top thereof, the folded structure providing a space at the rear and upper portions of the cabinet, a receptacle in the space at the rear of the cabinet open at the top and comprising at least one movable wall, a link connection between the rear mounting lever and the movable wall to swing the wall outwardly so that the open top is more accessible from the front of the cabinet structure below the xed top when the folding bed structure is extended in alignment at the front of the cabinet.

3. A structure in accordance with claim 1, in which the receptacle within the cabinet comprises a fixed bottom and a front wall hinged at the forward edge of the bottom so that the top opening flares outwardly when the folding bed structure is swung to a horizontal position extending from the cabinet. y

4. A structure in accordance with claim 1 in which the receptacle is pivoted in the space at the rear of the cabinet and the front wall thereof is connected by a link with the folding bed structure so that the entire receptacle is tilted forwardly to make it more accessible from the front and below the xed top when the bed structure is in a horizontal position extending from the cabinet.

5, In the combination with a cabinet structure having a fixed top and a front opening closed by doors hinged at the sides thereof, a folding bed structure composed of connected sections, coordinating linkage means connecting the sides of the sections and adapting them to be folded and extended in a predetermined manner through the front opening of the cabinet and below the top thereof, lever means for mounting the rear section at the insides of the cabinet to swing thereon in moving the sections from a horizontal position in front of the cabinet to a vertical position Within the cabinet, stop means pivoted at the lower front sides of thefcabinet and having a link connected to one of the mounting levers for extending the stop means in front of the cabinet in contact with a surface upon which the cabinet is supported to prevent the forward overturning ofthe cabinet; the improvement which consists in receptacle means at the upper rear portion of the cabinet comprising at least one movable wall, and a link pivotally connecting the movable wall with one of the mounting levers to swing it forwardly when the bed structure is extended to a horizontal position to make it more accessible from the front and below the xed top of the cabinet and to return it to a closed position when the bed structure is returned to a vertical position within the cabinet.

6. A structure in accordance with claim 5, in which the receptacle comprises a bottom fixed at the rear of the cabinet and a front wall pivoted at its lower edge to the front edge of the bottom, and the link is connected to the front wall to swing it outwardly opening the top of the receptacle a corresponding amount when the bed structure is extended at the front of the cabinet, the top of the receptacle being thus more accessible from below the fixed top of the cabinet at the front thereof.

7. A structure in accordance with claim 5, in which the receptacle has a bottom with front and rear walls and is pivoted near the bottom to swing forwardly, the link being connected to the ont wall thereof and tilting the entire receptacle forwardly upon its pivot when the bed structure is in horizontal position, thereby disposing the open top of the receptacle forwardly for freer access from below the xed top of the cabinet through the front opening thereof.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 91,244 Maine Jan. 15, 1869 753,462 Austin Mar. 1, 1904 1,091,495 Fillmore et al Mar. 31, 1914 1,093,565 Schulte Apr. 14, 1914 1,271,725 Kramer et al. July 8, 1918 2,007,988 Thomas July 16, 1935 2,313,847 Thomas Mar. 16, 1943 

